Lavandula plant named ‘IB61024’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Lavandula plant named ‘IB61024’, characterized by its compact and broadly upright plant habit; freely branching growth habit, dense and bushy appearance; freely flowering habit; purplish red-colored flowers with medium to large purplish red-colored sterile flower bracts arranged on short terminal spikes; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Lavandula stoechas pedunculata.

Cultivar denomination: ‘IB61024’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Lavandula plant, botanically known as Lavandula stoechas pedunculata, commonly referred to as French Lavender and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘IB61024’.

The new Lavandula plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventors in Wonga Park, Victoria, Australia. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new dense and freely-flowering Lavandula plants with attractive plant form and flower coloration and good garden performance.

The new Lavandula plant originated from a self-pollination in October, 2015 of a proprietary selection of Lavandula stoechas pedunculata identified as code number IB510-2, not patented. The new Lavandula plant was discovered and selected by the Inventors as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated self-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Wonga Park, Victoria, Australia in October, 2016.

Asexual reproduction of the new Lavandula plant by softwood terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Wonga Park, Victoria, Australia since October, 2016 has shown that the unique features of this new Lavandula plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Lavandula have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of the new Lavandula plant. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘IB61024’ as a new and distinct Lavandula plant:

-   -   1. Compact and broadly upright plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching growth habit, dense and bushy appearance.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Purplish red-colored flowers with medium to large purplish         red-colored sterile flower bracts arranged on short terminal         spikes.     -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Lavandula differ primarily from plants of the parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Lavandula are more broadly upright than and         not as columnar as plants of the parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Lavandula have broader inflorescences than         plants of the parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Lavandula have longer sterile flower bracts         than plants of the parent selection.     -   4. Plants of the new Lavandula have shorter peduncles than         plants of the parent selection.

Plants of the new Lavandula can be compared to plants of Lavandula stoechas pedunculata ‘FW Radiance’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 31,632. In side by side comparisons, plants of the new Lavandula and ‘FW Radiance’ differ primarily in sterile flower bract size as sterile flower bracts of plants of the new Lavandula are broader than sterile flower bracts of plants of ‘FW Radiance’.

Plants of the new Lavandula can also be compared to plants of the Lavandula stoechas ‘910-2’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 25,525. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Lavandula differ primarily from plants of ‘910-2’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Lavandula and ‘910-2’ differ in flower         color as flowers of plants of the new Lavandula are darker         purplish red in color than flowers of plants of ‘910-2’.     -   2. Plants of the new Lavandula have more broadly spreading         sterile flower bracts than plants of ‘910-2’.     -   3. Plants of the new Lavandula and ‘910-2’ differ in sterile         flower bract color as sterile flower bracts of plants of the new         Lavandula are darker purplish red in color than sterile flower         bracts of plants of ‘910-2’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Lavandula plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Lavandula plant. The photograph is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘IB61024’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the summer in an outdoor nursery in Fort Worth, Tex. and under cultural practices typical of commercial Lavandula production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 35° C. to 40° C. and night temperatures ranged from 24° C. to 35° C. Plants were six months old when the photograph and the description were taken. In the description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Lavandula stoechas pedunculata ‘IB61024’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Lavandula             stoechas pedunculata identified as code number IB510-2, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Lavandula             stoechas pedunculata identified as code number IB510-2, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal softwood vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About ten days at             temperatures about 24° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About twelve days at             temperatures about 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 24 to 28             days at temperatures ranging from 23° C. to 26° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 35 to 40             days at temperatures ranging from 15° C. to 18° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; typically white to light             brown in color, actual color of the roots is dependent on             substrate composition, water quality, fertilizer type and             formulation.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; compact and             broadly upright plant habit; roughly broadly ovate in             overall shape; moderately vigorous growth habit; relatively             rapid growth rate; flowers arranged in verticillasters on             terminal spikes; freely branching habit, dense and bushy             appearance.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 16.1             cm.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane.—About 23.75             cm.         -   Plant width.—About 19 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Quantity per plant: About six to             eight primary lateral branches each with potentially two             secondary branches developing at every node during the             flowering season. Length: About 10.25 cm. Diameter: About             2 mm. Internode length: About 1.75 cm. Strength: Moderately             strong; flexible. Aspect: Upright to somewhat outwardly.             Texture and luster: Densely tomentose; slightly glossy.             Color, developing: Close to 144A to 144B. Color, developed:             Close to 144A.         -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Opposite, simple; sessile.             Length, largest leaves: About 3.5 cm. Width, largest leaves:             About 6 mm. Shape: Linear to narrowly oblanceolate. Apex:             Sharply acute. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire; moderately             revolute. Texture and luster, upper surface: Densely             pubescent; matte. Texture and luster, lower surface:             Moderately to densely pubescent; matte. Fragrance: Strongly             aromatic, pungent. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color:             Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A to 137B.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 138B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to NN137B to NN137C;             venation, close to 144A. Fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: Close to 137B; venation, close to 138B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type, arrangement and habit.—Small single salverform             flowers arranged in verticillasters on terminal cylindrical             spikes; freely flowering habit with about 80 to 100 flowers             developing in ten to twelve whorls per inflorescence and             numerous inflorescences developing per plant during the             flowering season; flowers with two-lobed upper lip and             three-lobed lower lip; flowers face mostly outwardly on the             spike.         -   Natural flowering season.—Relatively long flowering period;             continuous from late winter to late spring/early summer in             Australia.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—Inflorescences last about one             month on the plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Fragrance.—Resinous, aromatic and pungent.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 8 mm. Diameter: About 4 mm.             Shape: Ovoid to conical. Color: Close to 143A to 143B.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 2.5 cm, excluding terminal             bracts.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 1.25 cm, excluding terminal             bracts.         -   Flower diameter.—About 3.25 mm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 5 mm, including tube.         -   Flower tube length.—About 3.25 mm.         -   Flower tube diameter.—Less than 1 mm.         -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: Upper lip, two-lobed and             lower lip, three-lobed. Length, upper and lower lips: About             1.7 mm. Width, upper and lower lips: About 1.5 mm. Shape,             upper lip: Obovate. Shape, lower lip: Ovate. Apex, upper and             lower lips: Obtuse, rounded. Margin, upper and lower lips:             Entire; slightly undulate. Texture and luster, upper (inner)             surface, upper and lower lips: Smooth, glabrous; slightly             velvety; matte. Texture and luster, lower (outer) surface,             upper and lower lips: Smooth, glabrous; slightly velvety;             slightly glossy. Color, upper and lower lips: When opening             and fully opened, upper (inner) and lower (outer) surfaces:             Close to 72B to 72C; becoming close to 72C to 72D in color             with subsequent development.         -   Basal flower bracts.—Quantity and arrangement: Each group of             flowers is subtended by a single basal flower bract. Length:             About 7.5 mm. Width: About 1 cm. Shape: Cordate. Apex: Long             cuspidate. Base: Cordate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower             surfaces: Translucent, close to 157C to 157D with venation,             close to 143A.         -   Sterile flower bracts.—Quantity and arrangement: About four             to six sterile flower bracts at apex of spike. Length: About             3.25 cm. Width: About 1.25 cm. Shape: Oblanceolate to             oblong; ruffled appearance. Apex: Broadly acute. Base:             Cuneate to slightly crenate. Margin: Entire; strongly             undulate. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color, upper and lower surfaces:             Close to between 63B and 72C; main vein, close to 144A;             color becoming closer to 65A to 65B with subsequent             development.         -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five, fused into a             campanulate tube. Calyx length: About 7 mm. Calyx diameter:             About 3 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire.             Texture and luster, upper (inner) and lower (outer)             surfaces: Densely pubescent; matte. Color, upper (inner) and             lower (outer) surfaces: Close to between 143A and 146A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 6.5 cm. Diameter: About 1.8 mm.             Aspect: Mostly upright to somewhat outwardly. Strength:             Moderately strong to strong; flexible. Texture and luster:             Pubescent; matte. Color: Close to 144A to 144B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Four.             Anther shape: Reniform. Anther color: Close to 157C. Pollen             amount: None observed. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One.             Stigma shape: Club-shaped. Stigma color: Close to 79A. Ovary             color: Close to 143A to 143B.         -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit production has not             been observed on plants of the new Lavandula. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Lavandula     have not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common     to Lavandula plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Lavandula have exhibited good     garden performance and to tolerate rain and wind and temperatures     ranging from 0° C. to 42° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Lavandula plant named ‘IB61024’ as illustrated and described. 